Method and system of determining a pattern of arrival time cycle skip in an acoustic flow meter

Abstract

Determining a pattern of arrival time cycle skip in an acoustic flow meter. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods comprising transceiving acoustic signals through a fluid flowing in a meter (the transceiving between respective pairs of a plurality of transducer pairs), measuring transit time of acoustic signals between the respective pairs of the plurality of transducers pairs, calculating a plurality of error values (each error value indicative of a cycle skip mode in measuring of the transit time of the acoustic signals), and determining the cycle skip mode using, at least in part, the plurality of error values.

1. A system comprising:
 a meter body defining a central passage, the meter body configured to couple to a pipe within which fluid flows; 
 at least four transducer pairs coupled to the meter body, each transducer pair configured to propagate an acoustic signal across the central passage both in an upstream and a downstream direction; 
 a processor mechanically coupled to the meter body and electrically coupled to the at least four transducer pairs; and 
 a memory electrically coupled to the processor, the memory stores a program executable by the processor; 
 said program causes the processor to determine transit time measurements of acoustic signals across the central passage in a first measurement period; and 
 said program further causes the processor to determine a pattern of arrival time cycle skip of the transit time measurements across the at least four transducer pairs within the first measurement period. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 said program causes the processor to calculate a plurality of values, each value indicative of a pattern of arrival time cycle skip across the at least four transducer pairs; and 
 said program causes the processor to evaluate the plurality of values to determine the pattern of arrival time cycle skip. 
 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2  wherein when the program evaluates the plurality of values, the program further causes the processor to select a particular value based on at least one selected from the group consisting of: a maxima of the plurality of values; and a minima of the plurality of values. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1  wherein the program further causes the processor to change an arrival time detection parameter for at least one transducer pair responsive to the pattern of arrival time cycle skip involving the at least one transducer pair. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4  wherein the program refrains from correcting transit time values responsive to the pattern of arrival time cycle skip. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1  wherein the program further causes the processor to correct transit time values of the first measurement period responsive to the pattern of arrival time cycle skip. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1  wherein the program further causes the processor to correct transit time values of a second measurement period responsive to the pattern of arrival time cycle skip. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7  wherein the program further causes the processor to correct transit time values of the second measurement period, the second measurement period immediately subsequent to the first measurement period. 
     
     
       9. A system comprising:
 a processor; 
 a memory coupled to the processor, the memory stores a program executable by the processor; 
 a communication port coupled to the processor; 
 said program causes the processor to receive measured fluid flow values from a fluid meter, the receiving across the communication port, and maintain a running total of fluid flow through the fluid meter over a predetermined period of time; and 
 said program causes the processor to receive from the fluid meter acoustic signal transit time measurements for both upstream and downstream signals between each transducer pair of transducer pairs of the fluid meter, and the program causes the processor to determine a configuration of arrival time cycle skips in the transit time measurements. 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9  further comprising the program changes an arrival time detection parameter in the fluid meter for at least one transducer pair responsive to the configuration of arrival time cycle skip. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10  further comprising the program refrains from correcting transit time values measurements. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 9  further comprising the program corrects transit time measurements responsive to the configuration of arrival time cycle skips. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 9  further comprising the program corrects transit time measurements from a second measurement period following a first measurement period, the corrections responsive to the configuration of arrival time cycle skips in the first measurement period. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 9  further comprising:
 when said program determines the configuration of arrival time cycle skips, the program calculates a plurality of values, each value indicative of a configuration of arrival time cycle skips; and 
 said program evaluates the plurality of values to determine the configuration of arrival time cycle skips. 
 
     
     
       15. A method comprising:
 transceiving acoustic signals through a fluid flowing in a meter, the transceiving between respective pairs of four transducer pairs; 
 measuring transit time of acoustic signals between the respective pairs of the four transducer pairs; 
 calculating a plurality of error values, each error value indicative of a cycle skip mode in measuring of the transit time of the acoustic signals for all four transducer pairs; and 
 determining the cycle skip mode using, at least in part, the plurality of error values. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15  further comprising changing an arrival time detection parameter responsive to the determination of the cycle skip mode. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16  further comprising refraining from correcting measured transit time. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15  further comprising correcting the measured transit time of acoustic signals responsive to the cycle skip mode. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15  further comprising correcting the measured transit time of acoustic signals from a second measurement period responsive to the cycle skip mode of transit time from a first measurement period that immediately precedes the second measurement period. 
     
     
       20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:
 calculate a plurality of values, each value indicative of a pattern with respect to each transducer pair of four transducer pairs of arrival time cycle skip of transit time measurements across a measured fluid in a flow meter, the transit time measurements for both upstream and downstream transit time measurements for each transducer pair; 
 determine the pattern of arrival time cycle skip based, at least in part, on the plurality of values. 
 
     
     
       21. The computer-readable medium of  claim 20  wherein the program further causes the processor to change an arrival time detection parameter for at least one transducer pair responsive to the pattern of arrival time cycle skip. 
     
     
       22. The computer-readable medium of  claim 20  wherein the program further causes the processor to correct transit time values responsive to the pattern of arrival time cycle skip. 
     
     
       23. The computer-readable medium of  claim 20  wherein the program further causes the processor to correct transit time values of a subsequent measurement period responsive to the pattern of arrival time cycle skip of transit time values in a preceding measurement period.